Here is the finished product.

I also like that I can motion blur. There are a ton of features in GIMP. It's almost on the same level as Photoshop and it's free.

Yes I've heard that. And it may well be possible to use photoshop actions in gimp   See what u can find out.  

Quote - Yes I've heard that. And it may well be possible to use photoshop actions in gimp   See what u can find out.  

I checked on that back when I had GIMP 2.6, and I am now using 2.8...

There are brushes that people have made from the Photoshop brushes that work in GIMP. I am not sure about other things. Since I only just decided to go the comic route, I hadn't bothered to find out if other things work or not.

Again, I may scrap the toon filter idea all together and just go with the pseudo realistic look. I have to figure that one out. There are things that I want to do that don't translate well in toon filters.

Yes, I made that skimpy little outfit for her...

Nice!

Attached Link: http://chiselapp.com/user/saulgoode/repository/script-fu/wiki?name=sg-tooninator

Love esther

Thanks, Esther! I will check that out and see what it does.

In the meantime, I am kind of liking the look of rendering with no lights and using BB's envirosphere... This first one is Sydney, with one spotlight on her because no lights didn't bring out the blonde hair...

you're going well.

Hope you can start the story renders soon.

Quote - you're going well.

Hope you can start the story renders soon.

Yeah, that's coming next. When I start I will be offline until I get the first couple episodes done. The same process I used when I was writing screenplays: no tv, no radio, no internet, no outside interferences. I will write it out screenplay style, then transfer the story to story board and then renders.

I am still thinking not to use standard comic format, and just go frame by frame, so that I can render to 1920x1080 pixels. I am looking at different options right now.

I use the internet extensively when I'm doing any creative writing to look up how to do things eg safecracking.

Love esther

Quote - I use the internet extensively when I'm doing any creative writing to look up how to do things eg safecracking.

Love esther

I do all my research before I start the script. The only time I will break from that is if I change something midstream and have to go back and rewrite. Then I may have to look something up. But other than that, I will close off and keep myself from distractions. Like this site....

yes, sounds like a good idea.  Hope you get a lot done and don't get a deep vein thrombosis in your leg from sitting too long.

Love esther

Quote - yes, sounds like a good idea.  Hope you get a lot done and don't get a deep vein thrombosis in your leg from sitting too long.

Love esther

Yeah, I am careful. I do a lot of work with my laptop at chest level standing up. I sit every now and then.

It seems, from what you have posted, that you are sort of decided on the graphic style. May I just suggest something?

The font, Comic Sans... Well, the name may be alluring but trust me, this font screams "I'm new to online comics".
Let me just post a link to one pretty nice book: http://www.amazon.com/Thou-Shall-Not-Comic-Sans/dp/0321812816

There are dozens of free (and viable for commerical use) fonts out there, and each and every one of those is better than comic sans. Take a look here: http://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/list/style/Comic

I, personally, am fond of Zud Juice from Blambot: http://www.blambot.com/font_zudjuice.shtml (the site has already been mentioned here)

Another thing is lighting the scene. Some scenes in Poser just turn out flat / with no depth. Or the colours get that dustbowl treatement. It's mostly lighting fault. If we take a look at film and tv productions, the skin and scenes in the high budget ones look so good because the light is fake ;) i.e. it is simulated, not re-created.

A nice fill-in light, a key-note light  - the parameters differ with every scene (well, sometimes they change in one scene a dozen times). Adding extra contrast in postwork is also a good idea. Some Poser-made comics look "underfunded" (for a lack of a better word) because they pay little interest in lighting...

Sorry for the long post, I just used to create Poser comics and am working on a new project for quite some time now. I have indeed started with comic sans and sub-par lighting myself ;) There's a proof at the top of the post ;) Then I changed a thing or two... (and then i stopped creating, a trend I'm trying to subvert now)

I have no intention of using the comic sans font when I start the actual comic. I used it because I don't have the software I am going to use when I start the comic. I will be making extensive use of Blambot and a few other sites once I get into production mode. I am still in script at this time.

Most of what I posted in here was 5 minute renders just to get my point across. What I will put online will be far above the quality that you have seen here.

But thanks for your comments. Don't worry, I have my bases covered. It's the story that will be the deciding factor for me, not the renders.

This will be my last post for awhile. I am in script now, so I will be offline for the next couple weeks while I write and rewrite this thing. See you all later. Before I go live with my comic, I'll PM a link to those select few for preview and critique.

;) I didn't mean to be harsh or anything, rokket! I'm looking forward to seeing your comic / graphic novel.

I too think the script is one of the most important things in a comic book (as is plot in the novel). That and interesting characters.

Once the dialogue and the narration flows, folowed by good camerawork, everything is fine ;)

Attached Link: Comic Life 2

Also play with the lights in your scene, don't use the same settings or light sets in every scene. Find the lights that represent the mood in the scene and make them stand out. On top of that I would say move the camera around a bit more to get the perfect angles.

I've attached a sample comic I made a while back for fun. It's not top notch, but gives a good example of what comic life can add to your comics and how you can use different light settings and camera views.

Sorry, you can't read this one most likely, it's in Dutch. I'm making this for a non-profit organisation. When it's done it will be printed by a proffesional printer. I did work for them before and they printed various comics I made. It's very cool to see your comics on the web, but it's another thing to see them printed in a booklet and realise they just ordered 10,000 copies of it. That's kind of exciting to know that more then 10,000 people will actually hold your comic in their hands and read it.

Good luck and I'm looking forward to seeing more!

Thanks...

I realize the thread is now 5 pages long, but if you had read through it, you would see that ComicLife2 had been mentioned, as well as a few other software items.

I am not going to toon up my renders either. I am thinking I won't go the traditional comic route either, so I won't use a comic software. I want my panels to be optimized for the web and be 16x9 resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels), so I will probably be doing them frame by frame instead of a comic page. I have no intentions of ever printing it.

I am doing a graphic novel. I am taking a break from the writing to get some other things done, and in looking at my script, a serial just isn't going to work for me. So it's going to be 110-120 page script that I will translate into a graphic novel. I will do all the renders and get the whole story done before I post online.

I have to rewrite the first 40 pages. I didn't like the story arc, so I am changing it now.

With the software I do have, if I need to do split panels or anything else, I have that capability.

Thank you to everyone for your advice and knowledge. Being a hard headed man, I am going to see what I can come up with first, before I give in and take the advice, but I appreciate it all the same.

See you in a few weeks...

Maybe u could just try the demo version ( if there is one). For comic life. It would truly save u a lot of time. 

Quote - Maybe u could just try the demo version ( if there is one). For comic life. It would truly save u a lot of time. 

Yes it would and it will be fine for creating a graphic novel as well. It's excellent for creating online comics / graphic novels as well.

Quote - I am not going to toon up my renders either. I am thinking I won't go the traditional comic route either, so I won't use a comic software. I want my panels to be optimized for the web and be 16x9 resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels), so I will probably be doing them frame by frame instead of a comic page. I have no intentions of ever printing it.

Oh, so it's going to be more cinematic in approach. i like that. You may want to check out this webcomic:
http://requiem.spiderforest.com/

It has - I believe - similar art approach, at least on the surface.

The story there is quite complex and characters abound ;) I like it, though. It's still pretty static and the light could use some alteration ;)

Quote - I have to rewrite the first 40 pages. I didn't like the story arc, so I am changing it now.

I know what you mean. I've been re-designing the first issue of my graphic novel for a year now. And recasting the parts.

Good luck then!

Quote - Maybe u could just try the demo version ( if there is one). For comic life. It would truly save u a lot of time. 

I downloaded it again, and I will install it when I am ready to start putting the story together. My only issue is that I will start really liking it, but with my current financial state, the wife won't let me buy it. Even if it is cheap. I will just have to hope she will give in once she sees what I've done with it.

Quote - > Quote - I am not going to toon up my renders either. I am thinking I won't go the traditional comic route either, so I won't use a comic software. I want my panels to be optimized for the web and be 16x9 resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels), so I will probably be doing them frame by frame instead of a comic page. I have no intentions of ever printing it.

Oh, so it's going to be more cinematic in approach. i like that. You may want to check out this webcomic:
http://requiem.spiderforest.com/

It has - I believe - similar art approach, at least on the surface.

The story there is quite complex and characters abound ;) I like it, though. It's still pretty static and the light could use some alteration ;)

Quote - I have to rewrite the first 40 pages. I didn't like the story arc, so I am changing it now.

I know what you mean. I've been re-designing the first issue of my graphic novel for a year now. And recasting the parts.

Good luck then!

I see what you mean. I don't believe they are using Poser, though. Doesn't matter. There is a way to bring life to renders and a way not to. I will have that one down before I commit anything to copy.

I hope to have something going soon. Life is getting in the way of things right now.

Now there were some free wheelchairs, I think from ziggie.

Love esther

Quote - Now there were some free wheelchairs, I think from ziggie.

Love esther

My story opens 30 years in the future, Esther. I need something that looks a bit more 'futuristic' than the standard wheelchair. Plus then I couldn't say that everything was modeled by me... :biggrin:

Man, I love your spirit: Building everything.

I used to model in anim8or.
Then went to Hexagon.
And a week ago I downloaded Blender.

30 years in the future?
Hovercraft wheelchairs??? ;-))
Just kidding.

You're going to die.  but i love your spirit.

Love esther

Die??? Huh? Where did that come from???
Are you overheating down under???
:-)

Psst: Tony, never talk like that to a woman with a gun in her hands. :-(

I'm really quite friendly.  the safetycatch is on.

Love esther

Quote - Man, I love your spirit: Building everything.

I used to model in anim8or.
Then went to Hexagon.
And a week ago I downloaded Blender.

30 years in the future?
Hovercraft wheelchairs??? ;-))
Just kidding.

Close. Actually, just streamlined it a bit. It's made for a blind man, so it has sensors to help him navigate around a very stylish retirement home...

sounds good.  is he paraplegic or quad?

Quote - You're going to die.  but i love your spirit.

Love esther

Nahhhh, I would never let it get that far. That chair that I posted is almost complete. Total time on it so far: less than 45 minutes. I can go from inspiration to usable in about an hour, so I think I am doing pretty good. And if it comes to it and I can't make it, I will definitely download a freebie and use that.

But most of what I am making are static props, and occasionally something with a couple moving parts. None of these things are very complicated or high poy. They are mostly procedural textures too. I am not taking the time to UV map any of it. I will do all that in the future and upload them all in the freebies section when I am done.

This includes a ton of dresses and other things that I made for the female characters. I don't think I would give away their superhero things.

Quote - sounds good.  is he paraplegic or quad?

Neither. Just really old. And blind.

He lost his eyes during a mission. He was in an explosion.

But that might be giving away too much, huh?

nah not giving away too much, but sounds instersting.  well I'll bet, he'll somehow be able to see with a superpower which wears off at 0600hrs?? how close am I?

Love esther

Quote - nah not giving away too much, but sounds instersting.  well I'll bet, he'll somehow be able to see with a superpower which wears off at 0600hrs?? how close am I?

Love esther

Pretty far off. He's over 70 years old and has been blind since he was in his early 40's due to the explosion. All I will tell you is that the story I am writing is seen through his eyes (yes, there is a pun in there somewhere). He was there. He is being interviewed for a magazine. Archangel was thought to be a myth, and a couple reporters find out that he may know the truth behind all of it, so they interview him.

aha, sounds really good.  I was totally off track.

Love esther

And speaking of 0600hrs, it's 2115 here in Sasebo, Japan. I have to get some sleep. I have a long day ahead of me, and I still want to write a few pages before I turn in.

Good Night/Good Day to all of you, wherever you may be.

Quote - aha, sounds really good.  I was totally off track.

Love esther

Yeah, but that would have made a pretty cool sub-plot: the hired help at the retirement home can't figure out who keeps getting up in the middle of the night to watch the 'adult' movies on the television... or something like that. ;)

And when the patient's get bullied he will stand up to them.

I had a real patient tell me horror stories from the nursing home.  eg the chairs in the dining room are hard so they like to take a cushion from the loungeroom and put it on the chairs whilst they eat and then put it back after, but they were told they were not allowed to do this. 

And one of the nurses has a dog that she brings into the  nursing home.  she pats it and then touches the patients food but when the patients objected they were all brought into a room and asked who objects to the dog being in the dining room, and everyone was too scared to say except for one patient, even though secretly they all complained about it too each other.  

and when they have inspections they are too scared to say what is really happening there.

We live in a subtropical climate and when they go into high care they can't have aircon.  In low care they can have it if they pay for it.

There's a lot more stories.

It's really aweful.  they need a superhero.

Love esther

Quote - And when the patient's get bullied he will stand up to them.

I had a real patient tell me horror stories from the nursing home.  eg the chairs in the dining room are hard so they like to take a cushion from the loungeroom and put it on the chairs whilst they eat and then put it back after, but they were told they were not allowed to do this. 

And one of the nurses has a dog that she brings into the  nursing home.  she pats it and then touches the patients food but when the patients objected they were all brought into a room and asked who objects to the dog being in the dining room, and everyone was too scared to say except for one patient, even though secretly they all complained about it too each other.  

and when they have inspections they are too scared to say what is really happening there.

We live in a subtropical climate and when they go into high care they can't have aircon.  In low care they can have it if they pay for it.

There's a lot more stories.

It's really aweful.  they need a superhero.

Love esther

I feel for them. It's a pity when we treat our elderly like they are a burden on us. If more people would stand up for them, they would perhaps get better treatment. Then they would have their superhero.

Unfortunately, my guy isn't much of a superhero any longer. And he is living in a pretty lush retirement home. In fact, he took up smoking just to piss the nurses off, and none of them has had the courage to tell him he can't smoke in the lounge. They just give him dirty looks when they pass by him. And of course, he can't see them doing that.

I will send you a copy of my first act when it's done. I am going by U.S. movie standard, so I have a 3 act play. Act one will end under 20 pages, judging by action movie standard of a page per minute of screen time. I think you will enjoy it. And you can let me know if it hits the mark, and if it kept you reading or if you started skimming... and of course if you can't wait to see what is going to happen next...

I already can't wait.